12/12/2007 @ 6:00PM

Top Deals On Digital Cameras

Digital cameras are always hot holiday items, and this season there are an abundance of affordable, feature-laden models that would make excellent gifts. Gone are the days of the sub-standard budget model; these low-cost options have lots of pixels, plenty of style and helpful new technology that makes snapping a photo easier than ever. Whether you’re shopping for a casual novice who wants a quick-and-easy camera or a budding expert who wants to break into high-end photography, it’s possible to find a pleasing present that won’t leave you in debt.

For people who are interested in simple, straightforward operation, a point-and-shoot camera will provide excellent performance without confusing settings or incomprehensible functions. Canon‘s
Powershot A720 IS has emerged as a leader in this class, with above-average features like image stabilization and a long, 6x optical zoom. This means the camera is less susceptible to blurring due to shaky hands, and results in cleaner, clearer final images.

The A720 IS also features “face detection” auto-focus, which is also included in some newer
Sony
and Fuji cameras. In face-detection mode, the camera is able to pick out human faces with startling accuracy, and adjust its focus so that the most important parts of the photo–your friends and family–come out well. Even with all these great features, the A720 IS still keeps its price reasonable and can be found for as low as $190.

The Fuji FinePix S700 is also a strong contender for the point-and-shoot crown, challenging its rivals by including a super-long, image-stabilized 10x optical zoom. While the S700 is an approachable camera for first-time users, it’s loaded with potential. As users become more comfortable and adventurous, they can take advantage of the full manual controls. The S700 is a great camera for beginners keen to take their photography seriously. This model offers superior image quality from the get-go and doesn’t leave you in the lurch if you want to do something fancy. Presently, the S700 can be found for around $190.

If a slim, stylish ultra-compact is more your taste, Sony’s Cybershot DSC-W55 is a fantastic affordable camera that has earned high marks from satisfied owners. This is exactly what you need for a night out on the town without worrying about a big, bulky gadget in your pocket. The W55 is available in four colors: blue, black, pink and classic silver.

Even in the upper strata of high-end digital cameras, there are amazing deals to be found. Digital single-lens reflex cameras (SLRs), which use interchangeable lenses and can provide professional-level image quality, are often saddled with huge price tags that start at $1,000 apiece–a number that can scare off many consumers. But some manufacturers are realizing that there is demand for a low-cost SLR principally from shoppers who are intrigued by the advanced capabilities but aren’t willing to risk a lot of cash.

The Nikon D40 was the first low-cost entry-level digital SLR on the market, and quickly became a blockbuster. Though it’s been updated slightly over the past year with the release of the D40x, the original model is still a fantastic camera with a remarkably low price. For around $500, consumers can have a robust, powerful digital camera that serves as an excellent bridge between casual picture-taking and true photography that you could hang in a gallery or see in a magazine. Furthermore, the D40′s body is relatively small, making it easy to carry and a pleasure to use.

Shoppers should be aware that though there are plenty of great digital camera deals out there, there are some affordable cameras that they should scrutinize with great care.

For instance, Kodak cameras have long had a reputation for simplicity and affordability, and their EasyShare line positioned them as a high-profile entry point for new digital-camera users.

Unfortunately, over the past two years, Kodak has experienced a precipitous drop in quality. Among customers’ complaints: fragile, spontaneously cracking LCD screens on the KodakV803 and V1003 ultra-compact models. The Kodak’s point-and-shoot C743 has a reputation for quickly killing batteries. When the device did have power, it occasionally turned itself off for no obvious reason. No matter how low the prices, such experiences will be a turn-off for photographers.

If you bought your digital camera years ago, or know somebody who has been clinging to an older model, it’s definitely time to take another look at what’s available in digital cameras. The leaps in technology in just the last year or two have been significant, and the price drops have been even more astonishing. These affordable yet powerful digital cameras are out there, and they would make a thoughtful gift for someone special.

Michael Patrick Brady is editor of DigitalCamera-HQ.com, a site dedicated to making shopping online for consumer electronics as easy as possible. It operates product commentaries and answers questions on a range of consumer electronics, including digital cameras, camcorders and high-definition televisions.